Home Again
by Scarlett-Whitecross20
Summary: The paladins are finally home... And look who's there to welcome them back!


Voltron: Home Again

The orange shield that protected the Galaxy Garrison came into view over one last hill, as they came barreling down it toward the giant dome. As they approached, the doors opened and the two Garrison land rovers drove on through them. The Paladins gazed through the windows at the place they'd arrived. All of them in awe that they were finally back and at the shield that now protected it. Pidge placed her hands on the window and pressed her nose to the glass; when something caught her eyes. And in that moment, time almost seemed to stand still; as they pulled up to a small crowd acting as their welcoming committee. The first thing she saw was the distant figures of the ones she'd left on earth only but about five years earlier. As the vehicle's shield went down, her excitement burst within her as she launched herself out of it.

"Mom!!" She cried, landing in her mother's arms and hugging her tightly with her arms and her legs, Bae Bae at their side wagging her tail wildly. Sam knelt down to wrap his arms around his wife and daughter.

"Oh Katie! I'm so glad you're home!!" Colleen breathed, tears in her eyes, clutching her daughter close. The dog put her front paws up onto Colleen's arm to lick Pidge's cheek in a bunch of slobbery kisses. Making the girl laugh through her joyful tears

The Blue Paladin smiled at the reunion, when a voice he hadn't heard in while called his name.

"Lance!" Veronica and the rest of the McCLain family were racing toward him when he turned toward the voice.

"Hey!" Lance cried, jumping out of his seat to sprint over to meet them in a huge family hug. All of them laughing and crying as they ran into each other's arms. His family telling him they'd missed him and that they'd never given up hope on him returning. As they drew away his niece and nephew hung on his neck and sat on his lap.

"Wow, you're so much bigger now." He told them, his wide grin unchanging.

"You're the same size." His nephew told him. All Hunk could do was watch, and remember the last time he saw _his_ family; a blanket of sadness falling over him at the thought.

"It's good to have you home." Sam told him, yanking him from his thoughts.

"So-.." He began slowly. "My family?" He asked, hoping that they were here somewhere where he couldn't see them. Sadness crossed Sam's face, his eyebrows furrowed tenderly.

"We'll get them back soon." He gently promised, his heart aching to say this. Hunk's gaze lowered, as a terrifyingly unfamiliar twinge of anger stung him in the chest.

Shiro offered Allura his hand, to which she accepted and hopped down off the land rover. She looked at Pidge and Lance reuniting with their families, she felt both pride for them... and pain for herself.

"Takashi!!" The sound of his name made Shiro and the Atleans accompanying him look in the direction of its origins. There standing only a few feet from them, was an old woman with Japanese features similar to Shiro's. Her white hair blowing in a gentle breeze, and her face showing multiple emotions.

"Julieanne." Shiro breathed, as they stepped into one another's embrace. His aunt's overwhelmed sobs were muffled by Shiro's shirt, to which she'd buried her face in upon contact. Her arms wrapped around his upper chest and up to his shoulders. Shiro wished more than ever that he had his other arm, so he could squeeze her tighter than he could with one arm. When they finally split, she set her left hand on his shoulder and used her right hand to brush away a few tears. But when she looked to where her hand was; she gasped silently. Her right hand covered her mouth, as she ran her left hand down the metal plating. Her eyes filling with tears, as they followed it until it came to the stub where his arm _should_ be. Fresh tears flooded down her cheeks as soon as she saw this. Shiro pulled her in again as she began to cry some more. Allura's heart broke at her reaction to this, she, herself, had felt bad for Shiro; having lost his perfectly good arm by the hands of the Galra Empire. The thought awakened a hint of anger within her, but was only demonstrated by her tenderly concerned expression; and a slightly tense fist.

"Officer Shirogane." Another unfamiliar voice interrupted the Altean Princess's thoughts. Another Commander stood before them. Shiro had looked up in response to his title, his aunt drawing away slowly recovering from her tearful remorse once again.

"It's great to see you again, my apologies for throwing you in quarantine." Commander Iverson told him.

"Ah, so you're the one who strapped Shiro to a table." Coran stated lightly, narrowing his eyes and standing close enough to get in his face. "I heard about that." Shiro looked from Coran to Iverson, his blank stare softening.

"You were just following orders, as any good soldier would." Shiro told him, a smile finally coming upon his face. "It's great to see you too... allow me to introduce to you to our Altean allies. Meet Allura, Romelle, and Coran." He gestured to each one of them in turn.

"The honor is mine. Your technology has been instrumental in defending this small corner of earth." Iverson smiled.

"Ah yes, Pop Pop was quite the genius." Coran agreed, fiddling with his mustache; as usual. Commander Iverson turned to the young man with his space wolf.

"And cadet." He said, his voice intense. Keith looked up from Cosmo, then stood up in an erect military fashion.

"Yes, sir!" Keith responded, standing in a stiff salute.

"I- owe you an apology as well. I've heard about all you've done... I was... wrong.. about you." Iverson's voice softened when he said this. "It's an honor and a privilege to see you again."

"Thank you, sir. I guess wasn't exactly the.. best cadet back then. I guess I owe you a bit of an apology as well." Keith responded a smile unmistakeable on his face, as he offered his hand to him. Iverson took it in a firm handshake. Then the commander turned his attention to Cosmo standing at Keith's right side.

"Ah, and who's this little fella." He greeted, the wolf turning into a gentle puppy dog as he nuzzled Iverson gently.

"Aww, Cosmo likes you,... But be careful if you touch it, it could zap you to a different universe." Coran told him. Iverson perked up at this, feeling a little worried now, especially when the Altean continued with,... "Seriously.

Keith was still smiling at this, when he glanced to his left. James Griffon was standing there leaning against the tire of one of the land rovers, he lifted off his helmet exposing his familiar brown hair cut. Their eyes met and they stared like that for what seemed like forever, a hint of resentment in Griffon's eyes stung into Keith's; tension indefinitely woven between them. Keith walked up to James, before he could walk away.

"Look, I know we've had our differences in the past. And I understand now that my actions back then were... uncalled for..." Keith told him. "So can we-.. Put it behind us... and start over." Keith extended a hand out to him. James stood there a long while, hesitating. Keith almost was afraid he wouldn't accept his apology, but to his relief Griffon took his hand. Taking step back James silently walked away, the tension slowly lifting. Keith then turned to see the Holts coming to stand before Shiro, and he strode toward them.

"Shiro?" Colleen was saying, as he joined the group. Sam's arm was wrapped around his wife and daughter, holding them close to him as they all stood squarely in front of Shiro. "I want to thank you... For saving my son. I heard about what you did in the Galra fighting arena."

"It was my pleasure." Shiro smiled, genuinely meaning it.

"I'm sorry that it cost you your arm, though." Colleen told him, glancing down then back up at him in despair. Shiro placed his hand left hand on her left shoulder.

"At least I lost my arm and not my life." Shiro still kept his tender smile, giving her one as well.

"Well.. If the Galra weren't invading Earth I'd invite you to dinner." She joked lightly.

"Well maybe when we defeat them, you can take me up on that." Shiro joked back, earning him a few light-hearted chuckles. Then Colleen stepped toward into a hug from Shiro.

"Thank you, for bringing our daughter back safely." Her voice was muffled a little by their embrace.

"You're welcome." Shiro told her. And everyone smiled at the moment, knowing that once it ends... It'll be a while before they'd feel it again...

~Home Again~

 **Hey everybody, this is just a season seven one-shot about what I think _should_ have happened when the Paladins returned home. Now granted some of it is the same, but there are a few things that I did that I would have loved to see. And I hope you guys agree! Hope you enjoy!! Thx!!!**


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